Breaking the Firelord
by HoMeSicKNoMad
Summary: You want to shatter his 'Firelord' facade" came Ty Lee's uncharacteristically dull tone... Canon ships, but mostly friendship. Twoshot
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar

A/N: Can be taken as a sequel to 'Unorthodox' but can pretty much stand on its own. I'm not particularly proud of this piece -- It was better in my head.

The kyoshi warriors walked the halls of Ba Sing Se for one peace meetings held regularly. They were directed by a servant to a room where said meeting was to take place in an hour.

As they neared the room, words became audible.

"It's going to work, I'm telling you", Sokka's exasperated tone floated through the

"I think we shouldn't be doing this, he's our friend", came Aang's voice.

"Come on twinkle toes! Live a little, have fun, its one of the few fun that's available to us when we're rebuilding the world!" Obviously Toph.

Suki opened the door, and walked into the room. And 'lo and behold, they saw the four heroes looking puzzled at a chair. Suki cleared her throat and all of a sudden four eyes look up at her and her warriors sheepishly.

They were all at Ba Sing Se for one of their peace meetings, and true to Zuko's first words as Firelord, the rebuilding was difficult, even after almost 3 years of relative peace.

"SUKI!" Sokka came bounding to her and gave her a fierce hug. "We wanted your input" and with that he gestured to the stone chair.

Suki looked at him confusedly, with brows furrowed.

"They're going to prank Zuko during the peace meeting" came Ty Lee's uncharacteristically flat tone. She stepped forward and looked at them, only to roll her eyes, "It's not going to work".

"Wha- how? Whe-", Sokka's surprised voice came.

"What Sokka means is, How did you know it won't work and how did you know what we were planning at all?" Toph's unseeing eyes gaze at Ty Lee, her expression confused.

Sokka just nodded at what Toph had said, he too wanted to know how Ty Lee knew. In fact so did the rest of the occupants of the room.

Ty Lee sighed, "You wanted to shatter Zuko's Firelord façade, am I correct?" Katara, Aang, Sokka and Toph merely nodded.

With that Ty Lee walked over and sat on a table to face them all, "In peace meetings, courtly affairs and when he's doing his duty as firelord, he becomes this other person…well, not really another person, but he becomes this proud, arrogant, unshakeable person whose composure is nothing but perfect"

"Yeah, sometimes I just want to knock that arrogance off his face" Sokka grumbled "honestly, his poise brings every girl to shame. Katara soaked him in one of the meetings at the Northern water tribe, Zuko merely raised his eyebrow and asked Katara if she was given to fits"

Aang chuckled at the memory, "Yeah, that was funny- ow!", Katara pinched him on his sides. "It was not, I was ashamed! I hate to think how those people must see me!"

Ty Lee sighed again, "Yeah, that's what he does, he makes you feel as if you were a child after the failed attempt, although, it was slightly better for Mai and I 'coz we WERE kids"

"So you mean you –" Suki started but was cut off by Ty Lee

"-and Mai would prank Zuko, he was like that when he was a child too, and we wanted to shatter his 'Fire Prince' composure. The only thing wrong with his demeanor THEN was that he was opinionated and his opinion was generally against his father's opinion, but now as firelord that's a good thing, because Zuko always had a good heart and he knows what's good for his people, so he's pretty much more perfect when he's in 'Firelord' mode"

"YES! And frankly, it's annoying!" Sokka yelled. Various "yeah" came from the group.

"Believe me, nothing works", Ty Lee stated and looks dully at everyone.

"uhm, Ty, you're acting like Mai now", Katara commented.

"MAI!!, that's it, you're a genius Katara", Sokka wrapped his arms around his sister, "we could get Mai, to ahem" Sokka wiggles his eyebrow suggestively "distract Zuko"

"It's the perfect plan!" Sokka continued, "No man is immune to his wife's wiles, well, no self-respecting one would-"

"Mai already tried that Sokka", Ty Lee interrupted, "It backfired, and lets jus say that as 'revenge' for being frustrated, Mai didn't get any sleep that night". Even through the face paint, Ty Lee's blush was apparent, "although, she wasn't exactly complaining".

"What?! When did Gloomy get around to doing that? They've only been married for 3 months" Toph said

" I bet it was that meeting Zuko, Mai and I attended in Omashu", Aang's brow was furrowed in thought, "she was jumpy and the day after, Mai almost fell asleep during breakfast!"

Silence befell the room.

"RIGHT, so we have established that this doesn't work" Katara commented to the room in general, "although, if ever it does happen, I wouldn't miss it for the world!"

Grumbles of agreement came and with unspoken accord, they all filed out of the room, knowing that whatever they did at this point was futile.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own 'Avatar: The Last Airbender'

Two weeks later, the whole Gang, which now included Mai and Ty Lee, was at the Fire Nation Palace. Zuko had a meeting with his high generals and high admirals before going on leave for a week for their 3rd annual celebration for the end of the war. And Instead of waiting for him at Ember Island, the whole gang decided to wait for Zuko and head to Ember Island together.

Zuko met them when they landed.

"Good! You guys are here" came Zuko's relieved voice, he looked as if he hadn't slept at all last night.

He accepted a hug from Ty Lee, Katara and Suki, shared nod at Aang and Sokka and received a punch on the arm from Toph.

"Look, Mai has the cold and isn't feeling all that well" He sighed angrily and rolled his eyes, "but you know how stubborn she is, she wouldn't even take the soup I made her last night, and she refuses to admit she's sick and see to the palace physician…. She threw one of her knives at him and I think she's traumatized him for life!!"

He looked imploringly at the women around him, who were all looking at him with amused smiles on their faces. Same old, dramatic Zuko.

"Don't worry sparky! We're right on it", without further ado, Toph went up the palace. Ty Lee shrugged and did a series of flips up the steps. Suki and katara followed the two girls.

Zuko faces the other men and said "So, since you're ladies aren't here, you're going with me to the meeting"

"What?! Why?! We're your guest!!" Came Sokka's reply

"You're not a guest! You're my friend, you guys have a room here and everything, that doesn't make you a guest" Zuko dragged Sokka and Aang by their arms "besides if have to go through another boring meeting, might as well have someone as bored as I am"

An hour into the meeting, Aang was shifting uncomfortably in his seat and was generally impatient to leave the war room. Even after three years, his ability to sit still was virtually nonexistent.

Sokka who was sitting on the other side of the Firelord on elevated platforms, was fighting to stay awake and actually listen to the meeting. He watched Zuko from the corner of his eyes. He never would have guessed that the boy who was hopeless at apologizing to them at the Western Air Temple was not only great at public speaking but also pretty good at addressing his 'subordinates'.

The Admiral who was speaking stopped abruptly in midsentence as he heard voices and giggling getting louder.

Zuko's attention, as well as everyone else's was directed at the entry way, as five girls noisily and excitedly entered. Aang and Sokka sat up straighter at this.

From his platform, he met his wife's gaze and raised an eyebrow at her. He noticed that she was heading this little scheme as the others were a few feet behind her.

"This is preposterous, this is not a woman's place!" came from an angry general.

Firelord Zuko transferred his gaze from his wife to the offending general, his gaze becoming steely and tone icy, "You dare take that tone to a lady, General? Lady Toph Bei Fong is one of the ladies of the courts at the Earth Kingdom, Suki is the leader of the Kyoshi warriors, Katara is the daughter of Chief Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe, Lady Ty Lee is one of the ladies of the court here in the firenation, and Firelady Mai is that, she is Firelady, anything you withhold from her you're withholding from me, including you're respect. Aside from their titles, they are exemplary fighters and have aid in the cessation of the war", He paused at glared fully at the offending General "Now, what general gave YOU the idea that they have no place in this meeting?"

The general, slightly white from fear, bowed submissively to the Firelord, "I am sorry for speaking out of turn, my lord. I mean no disrespect. The mistake won't occur again"

Zuko merely nodded at him, and commanded "It better not".

The General gulped audibly.

"He's good…" said Toph

"But not good enough" continued Suki.

Zuko, as well as everyone around him heard the exchange and instead of shooting down Toph and Suki, he gazed back at his wife, his eyes flashed in challenge, a smirk playing at the ends of his lip.

"I see you're feeling better, my lady", his voice polite but his eyes were condescendingly flashed in challenge, "Have you seen the palace physicians or did you allow Master Katara to heal you"

"Katara can't heal me, but Toph did make a diagnosis", Mai smirked as she saw Zuko's concern and she knew it was taking every ounce of control he had to not rush to her side, "Katara's opinion of her diagnosis was the same..I'm pregnant, Zuko".

Zuko, who was about to take the steps fumbled and would have rolled down the steps had it not been for Aang's airbending which caused him to stand back upright on the platform.

"She's not lying", came Aang's voice from his right but he paid it no mind and gazed at his smirking wife, whose eyebrow was raised in challenge and her eyes not masking the joy she was feeling.

Mai saw that Zuko's shocked face slowly turned to one of his goofy smiles, and the next thing she knew Zuko was in front of her, lifting her up in his arms, twirling her around and showering her face with kisses.

Aang and Sokka grinned at each other and took the steps in a more sedate manner towards the couple.

Zuko abruptly stopped turning, and gently lowered Mai, cupping her face and gazing into her eyes "Right, I shouldn't have done that. Are you all right? Do you feel sick, Are you nauseated? Shouldn't you-" .

Mai placed a silencing finger over her husbands mouth, "One question at a time, I am fine and I don't feel sick", Mai said as if talking to a child, "nor do I feel nauseated".

Everyone in the room had smiles on their faces; the fact that it was the thought of fatherhood that could reveal the childish side of the Firelord was amusing to them.

Zuko rolled his eyes at Mai's placating tone and gently took her hand within his. He sighed "you're going to be stubborn aren't you? And why in Agni's name are you on your feet". And without warning, he swept Mai off her feet and into his arms; Mai reflexively wound her arms around his neck.

"You cannot be serious, Zuko!", Mai no longer found it amusing, "pregnant women are allowed to walk around, are you going to be this unbearably annoying?!"

Zuko ignored her and looked directly at his generals and admirals, "You are dismissed, we shall resume in an hour" and without waiting for walked back up to the platform with his wife in his arms.

When the meeting resumed, all Sokka could think was, '_How the hell could he still looked dignified in a meeting, when HE was cradling his sleeping wife in front of him'_

A/N: I actually have a Chapter 1 1/2, wherein Mai finds out she's pregnant but i thought that it'd ruin the story; So, I figured that i'd leave it to your imaginations.


	3. Chapter 1 and a half

A/N: Sorry, couldn't resist... I all ready wrote it... :-p

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The girls all went through the familiar hallways of the palace, and with a nod at the two guards at the doorway (Mai and Zuko hated it, saying that they could watch out for themselves, but it was the advisers who insisted, saying that with the political uprisings it would be remiss of them not to ensure the Royal couple's safety), they entered the rooms of the Royal couple.

"Yow, GLOOMY! How're you holding up?" yelled Toph as she entered Mai and Zuko's bedroom.

Mai was sitting up on bed, with a handkerchief balled up in her fist, nose red, and eyes glaring at the blind girl and the girls walking behind her, "Gee, How do you think?... Zuko sent you, didn't he?".

With that Toph sat on the bed, punched her lightly and grinned, "That's the spirit! And yeah, Zuko sent us"

"He told us you threw one of your knives at the palace physician? Is that true?" Asked Ty Lee as she came over and hugged her ailing friend before also sitting down at her bedside.

"I was just trying to teach him a lesson, Ty" came Mai's nasal reply, which Ty Lee just rolled her eyes at. "That must have been some lesson, I'm surprised Zuko got away unscathed"

"I see it wasn't for a lack of trying" commented Suki, who had, along with katara examined the wall of the suite.

Katara gestured at the wall, giggling, there were about 6 well-aimed knives across the wall and one more at the door.

"He was annoying" said Mai shortly, as she received a hug from katara and Suki, who like the rest of the girls sat down on the bed too. "you should have seen him last night, it was as if he had never seen a person catch the COMMON cold, he even made me soup last night declaring that the chefs didn't know how to make it just right ".

"Aww, he's just worried about you", katara said, now already bending some water, "I think its sweet". Mai merely raised an eyebrow, "you would, wouldn't you?". Instead of replying, Katara slowly healed Mai.

After a few minutes, Mai felt loads better. The stuffiness in her nose and ears were relieved and her slight headache was gone.

"Thanks Katara" Mai smiled slightly at the waterbender before getting up and maneuvering her way past various friends to get off the bed.

"Where are you going? I think Zuko wanted us to chain you to the bed and ensure you got rest…or something along those lines", Ty Lee merely lied down on the fluffy pillows Mai was resting on, and eyed her friend through lazily opened eyes.

"I feel filthy and I want to bathe before going down and doing my duties as firelady" came Mai's as she was heading for the bathroom.

"I think Zuko all ready cancelled your meeting with the other ladies of the court last night" Ty Lee yelled.

They heard Mai groan in frustration and mumbling something. They suspect it was about Zuko.

After her bath, she found the other girls asleep on her bed. She smirked at the scene and rolled her eyes. Still amazed at the difference 3 years could make. During the war, no one can fathom that men and women from different nations could live in harmony, and yet, there it is, 4 women from the 3 different nations sleeping peacefully.

They must have had a long trip. With nothing else to do, Mai sat on one of the armchairs in the room, and read a scroll while waiting for her friends to get up.

A couple minutes past until she was surprised by an uncharacteristic sound, she looked up to see Toph on the ground, clearly having fallen off the unfamiliar bed. Mai let out a snort and was biting on her lips to keep from smiling too much. She then gazed down at Toph's unseeing eyes and instead of an offended frown she was expecting, Toph wore a confused frown before turning to a more surprised one and finally becoming a look of pure joy.

Mai was confused by this development of course, but she was more shocked when she saw Toph waking everyone else up rather unmercifully as the rest landed on the floor.

"What was that for?!"

"Couldn't you have been more gentle"

"This is not good for my aura"

"SHUT UP!" yelled Toph, to stop further comments from everyone else. She turned to look at Mai who was still sitting on her chair, now with a raised eyebrow and a questioning gaze. Toph approached her and grabbed her hand to a standing position. She smiled so widely at Mai and pinned her unseeing gaze at Katara "Use your bending and see, katara!"

Katara rolled her eyes at Toph and did as she asked anyway, she'd find out soon what she was so excited about. She bent the water about Mai and after a few moments katara let out a gasp of surprise and the water she was bending suddenly fell on the floor.

Without further ado, Katara launched herself at Mai, soon quickly followed by Toph.

Mai, who was trapped in the hug, shared a confused look with Ty Lee and Suki. "Ugh, you guys want to share the joyful news?... You know, to us nonbenders who have no idea what's going on.." came Suki's voice.

"Yeah, I'd like to know what I'm being hugged for too..", Mai glanced at Katara and Toph.

"You're pregnant!!" came the voices of the two benders. And for a few moments, Mai was frozen on her spot, "I'm wha –I' what?", before being subsequently attacked by Suki and Ty Lee too.

"But? How would you know that? I didn't even miss a period yet" came Mai's baffled voice.

"Two heartbeats Mai, yours and someone else's" Toph looked up at her and grinned, "a strong heart beat too, IT- for lack of better term, is healthy"

"Its probably not even a month-old yet", said katara, "I think you're sick now because you're pregnant, the changes in your body causes congestion to the ears and nose, I should know, I helped Gran-gran around the southern water tribe for years"

"Oh, so I'm pregnant" came Mai's dazed voice, "I'm still taking it in", her friends gave a chuckle.

"Yeah, we see that" came Katara's teasing tone, "wait 'til Zuko finds out, he'll flip"

With those words, Mai was brought back down from the clouds and to the world of the living. She smirked to herself and gazed at Ty Lee, her oldest friend, her eyes twinkling in merriment.

Ty Lee grinned back, "I think this would just be it -- Zuko's downfall!"

After a few moments, the others caught on, they each shared a grin and walked arm in arm towards the 'war' room.

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A/N: My favorite chapter...

Disclaimer: Still don't own the Avatar...damn...


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